Hi, Nightgarden. Congratulations on giving up smoking. I hope you have continued success. Possibly stating the obvious, I imagine your increased appetite might be because you are eating whre you might have smoked, as well as increased exercise.

I'm an exp ert at breaking diets and know that it is all about what goes on in your head. I try to follow the two-day diet - two days of very low calories (500 or so calories) and getting the feeling of control back, but I suppose that's a bit much when you are already disciplining yourself over smoking. I really hope you succeed on every level.

I get a few drunks and druggies passing my gate to the estate down the road and put plastic cameras up high where they were visible but out of reach. £1 each at a boot sale.

Don't let the police (overburdened) forget this and get the community bobbies to agree a schedule of action with you all. Get their advice and let them know you appreciate it and would like regular meetings. They know who the regular troublemakers are in the area.

Also, if it is a council area, could it be gated at night? Again, publicity is key, plus a charm offensive to coucil officials that won't let them forget the problem.

Just goes to show there's something for everyone. I suppose I knew what Joe was saying already, but he crystallised something in my mind and I could visualise my existing borders and slot in new ideas as he talked. Quite agree with Hollyhock (Hi, HH) that it would be expensive and overwhelming for most amateurs to do in one go, which has always been my problem, but once you get started and have a developing structure, a new vision is good, I think. I could see where I had things in the wrong place and how my planting was bitty.